


The Common Goal

by sidhe_faerie



Series: Once Upon A Land Challenges [23]
Category: Merlin (TV), Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Challenge Response, Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-27
Updated: 2013-07-27
Packaged: 2017-12-21 13:01:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/900619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidhe_faerie/pseuds/sidhe_faerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: Snow and Charming send a message to King Arthur and Queen Guinevere asking for an alliance to help them with their common goal.</p>
<p>Written for “onceuponaland” Round 5 Challenge 11 Crossing Over</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Common Goal

**Title:** The Common Goal

**Author:** sidhe_faerie

**Characters:** Snow White/Prince James ‘Charming”, Arthur/Guinevere, Merlin, Dwarves

**Rating:** G/K

**Summary:** Snow and Charming send a message to King Arthur and Queen Guinevere asking for an alliance to help them with their common goal.

**Word Count:** 3225

**A/N:** Written for “onceuponaland” Round 5 Challenge 11 Crossing Over

 

**The Common Goal**

Merlin was standing at the weapons rack when a snow white dove landed in front of him. He tried to shoo it away but it wouldn’t leave.

“Damn bird. What is this?” Merlin looked at the bird again and noticed that it had a note tied to its leg. He carefully picked it up from the weapons rack and took the note off and read it.

 

_“To King Arthur and Queen Guinevere Pendragon of Camelot_

_From Snow White and Prince James of the Enchanted Forest_

_We seek your help in a matter that we know you can understand. We are being plagued by an evil witch. She calls herself ‘Queen Regina’._

_We know of your problems with the High Priestess Morgana Pendragon._

_We believe we have a common goal. We are seeking an alliance to rid our kingdoms of these evil women._

_Please respond as soon as possible using the messenger bird we have sent. Thank you in advance.”_

 

Merlin looked at the bird in his hand and the note in the other. He had to tell Arthur. He turned and saw Arthur heading for him.

“Why are you playing with a bird, Merlin?” Arthur said as he put his quarterstaff back on the rack.

“It had a message tied to its leg.” Merlin handed the note to Arthur.

“Snow White and Prince James?” Arthur frowned then he realized where he had heard that name. “Snow White is King Leopold’s daughter. I heard they were having some troubles there but I didn’t realize it was magick.”

“Is that the Kingdom to the north?” Merlin asked.

“No. They are to the east. Gaius needs to teach you how to read a map.” Arthur said. “Bring the bird. I will speak to Guinevere and send them a response.”

Arthur and Merlin walked into the castle and found the Queen sitting at the desk in the Royal Chambers.

“Guinevere, we have a message from the Enchanted Forest. It was King Leopold’s kingdom. His daughter, Snow White and her husband seek our help to deal with an evil sorceress.” Arthur handed her the note.

Gwen read the note then looked up at Arthur. “Their kingdom has always been a place where magick is practiced freely. They must have ways to deal with those using it for evil means.”

“It sounds like this Regina is powerful much like Morgana.” Arthur poured water into a goblet. “I’m sure they have tried everything. They are most likely looking for other options. Do we make the alliance?”   

“Yes, we do. Gwen said. “We must help them. They will surely know how to defeat Morgana. We can help them with this sorceress that is trying to pass herself off as Queen.”

Gwen took a piece of parchment and wrote their reply.

 

_“To Snow White and Prince James of the Enchanted Forest_

_From King Arthur and Queen Guinevere Pendragon of Camelot_

_We are willing to form an alliance with your kingdom. We believe we can work together to achieve our common goal. We invite you to our Court to discuss this matter further.”_

 

Gwen handed the note to Arthur and he nodded.

“Merlin, put it on the bird and send it to them. We must prepare for their arrival.” Arthur said.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? If their Kingdom practices magick freely, isn’t the council going to object to an alliance?” Merlin asked.

“I am willing to do anything to get rid of the constant threat of Morgana and her evil ways.” Arthur said. 

Merlin nodded. He carefully put the note on the bird’s leg and released it out the open window.

   

Snow stood on the balcony looking out over the Kingdom. She was waiting for the messenger dove to return.

“Snow, you have been there for hours. Come inside and have something to eat.” Charming said as he stood in the doorway.

“I am waiting for the messenger. I just know they will help us.” Snow said.

“Their Kingdom has banned magick. They may not want to get involved in something that is of a magickal nature.” Charming said. He held his hand out to Snow. “Come. The bird will be here by the time you have eaten something.”   

Snow took his hand and started to go inside when the dove landed on the railing of the balcony. Snow let go of Charming’s hand and picked up the bird. She took the note off its leg and handed it to Charming as she thanked the bird and released it.

Prince James read the note with a serious face. “They have agreed to help. We journey to Camelot.”

“I knew they would help us.” Snow smiled. 

 

Arthur and Gwen stood on the steps of the castle as Snow and Charming rode in. The seven dwarves rode in behind them. The grooms took the horses as the party dismounted.

“Snow White and Prince James, welcome to Camelot. This is my wife, Guinevere.” Arthur said.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with us. We weren’t sure you would help. We know that magick is banned in your Kingdom.” Prince James said.

Arthur looked at Gwen then back to their visitors. “We will try anything to keep our people safe from Morgana and her evil magick.”

“We have rooms prepared and refreshments.” Gwen looked at the dwarves. “These are your Knights?”

Grumpy stepped forward. “We are the Queen’s Guard, Your Majesty. Snow White is the true Queen of the Enchanted Forest.”

Gwen smiled. “Your men are quite brave and loyal to you, Snow White. That speaks to your good heart. Merlin, take them to the barracks so they may get some rest.”

Grumpy started to protest but Arthur held up his hand. “Snow White and the Prince will be safe. I will see that they are guarded by my most trusted Knights while you get some rest.”

Grumpy and the other dwarves bowed.

Arthur turned to his side. “Sir Leon and Sir Elyan will be assigned to you while you are here.”

Sir Leon and Sir Elyan stepped forward and bowed.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Grumpy said.  

“The barracks are this way.” Merlin led the seven dwarves out of the courtyard.  

Gwen and Arthur took Snow and Charming into the castle to their chambers with Sir Leon and Sir Elyan walking behind them.

“When you have freshened up and rested, just ask Sir Leon and Sir Elyan to bring you to my study. We will talk there.” Arthur said to them.

“Thank you.” Snow said.

Arthur and Gwen left them there to rest. They walked arm in arm to Arthur’s study to wait for their guests.

 

Sometime later Snow and Charming were escorted to the King’s Study. When the door was closed the four Royals began to talk.

“We know you have had much experience with evil sorcerers, King Arthur.” Charming started. “What we ask of you is help to capture Regina and bring her to justice.”

Arthur nodded. “Why do you think my Knights would be able to do the job that yours haven’t?”

“Your Knights are unknown to her and can get closer than out men. Close enough to capture her. I hear you have ways to take away her powers.” Charming said.

“We have special potions that we have developed over time.” Arthur said. “What kind of justice do you seek? In Camelot, sorcery is punishable by death.”

“Is it always so?” Snow White asked.

“Snow, this is no time to be soft on her.” Charming said as he put his hand on her shoulder.

“She was my stepmother and she had good in her at one time.” Snow said. “I have always hoped she would change back to the way she was long ago.”

“Morgana is our family and it saddens us that she had become what she is today. Morgana was good once, too, but she changed. I don’t think she can be saved and it sounds like Regina can’t be saved either.” Gwen said.

“We have given her the chance to change and she wasted it.” Charming said. He unrolled a map on the table and pointed to a spot. “She was last seen here in this area. It borders your lands.”

“My men know that area well. It is often used as a refuge for bandits and sorcerers.” Arthur went to the door. “Leon, gather the Knights in the Council Chambers. I have a mission for you.”

“Yes Sire.” Sir Leon went off to assemble the Knights.

Arthur turned back into the room. “We shall have a treaty drawn up to formalize our alliance.”

Snow and Charming looked at each other and smiled.

“Thank you King Arthur and Queen Guinevere for your willingness to help us.” Snow said.

“Don’t thank us yet, My Lady. Your kingdom will not be safe until she is in custody.” Arthur said.

 

Arthur sent his four most trusted knights after Regina. They found her hiding in a hovel just over the border.

Sir Gwaine was the first one inside the door. He was followed by Sir Percival, Sir Leon and Sir Elyan.

“My Lady, you are to come with us.” Sir Gwaine said

“Who are you, Sir Knight? I don’t recognize your colors.” Regina said. 

“We are from Camelot.” Sir Percival said. “We are here to arrest you for using sorcery.”

“I am not in Camelot’s borders. You have no right to arrest me.” Regina said.

Elyan grabbed her and Leon forced a potion down her throat.

“What was that?” Regina sputtered. She tried to disappear but it didn’t work. “What… What have you done to me?”

“That was a potion that will keep you from using your magick.” Sir Leon said. “Bind her. We need to get her to Camelot before that potion wears off.” 

Regina was bound and thrown over the front of Gwaine’s horse. They rode hard for Camelot.

Regina was taken immediately to the dungeon and given another dose of the potion to stop her magick.

“The King will sentence you in the morning.” Sir Leon told her as he slammed the cell door.

 

When Regina was sure she was alone she whispered the name of the one person she could think of who could help her.

“Rumplestiltskin!”

“What you want with me?” a voice asked from behind her.

Regina turned around to face the imp. “Get me out of here.”

“Why should I?” Rumple asked.

“If they kill me, you won’t get what you want most.” Regina countered.

“You are not the only one that can give me what I want, dearie. Let me think on it.” Rumple said. He disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Regina groaned in frustration.

 

In the Throne Room, the four Royals sign a treaty solidifying the alliance between there Kingdoms.

“We are grateful to you and your brave Knights for capturing Regina.” Charming said.

“She will be executed in the morning after she is sentenced. If you would like to be present, I would understand.” Arthur said.

“No, we do not want her to know that we are here.” Charming said. “This is your Court and your laws.”

“Then word will be sent to your chambers when it is done.” Arthur said.

“Thank you.” Snow said.

“Merlin, go see how the preparations for the feast are coming along.” Arthur said.

Merlin bowed and left the room.

“From the stories we have heard about him, somehow I thought he would be older.” Snow said as she watched Merlin leave.

“You have heard stories about my man servant?” Arthur looked confused.

Charming gave Snow a warning look.

“I must have been mistaken. It was most likely some other man named Merlin.” Snow said.

“It must have been. He’s an idiot.” Arthur said.

Snow and Charming looked at each other confused.

 

Just over the border of Camelot, Morgana received a visitor.

“What is your name?” Morgana asked to the small man in front of her.

“I am Rumplestiltskin.” Rumple bowed with a flourish. “And you are Morgana Pendragon.”

“What is it you want from me?” Morgana glared at him

“I want nothing but I can do something for you, dearie.” Rumple said. “For a price, of course.”

“Explain yourself.” Morgana said.

“I need a prisoner released from the dungeons of Camelot. In exchange I will help you become Queen.” Rumple giggled.

“Who do you want freed?” Morgana asked.

“Regina.” Rumple told her. “She has been arrested for sorcery. Or was it witchcraft? Never matter. She is there and I need her out.”

“I will do it.” Morgana said. “But you better make sure you hold up your end.”

“The deal is struck, dearie.” Rumple said as he disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

 

A few hours later, Morgana disguised as an old woman crossed the courtyard of Camelot’s castle. She looked at the block on the platform and shuddered. She made her way to the side passageway. She hid from the passing guard patrol and made her way to the dungeon. She whispered a spell to knock out the guards and proceeded to the cells.  

“Who are you?” Regina asked the old woman who looked into her cell.

“Are you Regina?” Morgana asked.

“Yes. I ask again. Who are you?” Regina was not sure if she should trust the old crone.

“I’m Morgana Pendragon and I have come to get you out of here. I was sent by a friend of yours, a little man.” Morgana said.

“I know who you are referring to. He is a tricky one.” Regina said as Morgana unlocked the door.

“As long as I get what I want, I don’t care.” Morgana said.

“You will regret that I can assure you.” Regina said. “The deal you struck with him will never give you exactly what you want.”

“Then he is a dead man.” Morgana said coldly.

“I think we will be good friends.” Regina said.

“This way.” Morgana led her out through the tunnels to a grate. She whispered a spell and the grate fell out into the grass. “I have horses in the woods there. Do you ride?”

“Yes I do.” Regina followed her to the horses and noticed Morgana was no longer an old crone.

Morgana mounted her horse. “You can come with me or go back to your land. The choice is yours. I’m sure your friend will find you wherever you are.”

“He is not my friend. I will come with you.” Regina said. “I have unfinished business here. I want the King of Camelot to pay for trying to kill me.”      

“We will be great friends then.” Morgana smiled.

The warning bell started to sound and the two sorceresses rode as fast as they could to Morgana’s stronghold just over the border.   

When Morgana and Regina arrive at Morgana’s stronghold, Rumplestiltskin is waiting for them.

“What took you so long, dearie?” Rumple asked Morgana.

“I had to be careful. I didn’t want to join her on the block.” Morgana told him. “Do what you promised. Make me a Queen.”

Rumple giggled as a cloud of purple smoke engulfed Morgana. When the smoke cleared she had been transformed into Regina.

“There you are a Queen!” Rumple giggled.

Morgana tried to conjure a fire ball but nothing happened. “What have you done to me?” She caught sight of herself in a mirror. “You turned me into her?”

“She is a Queen and now she is you so you are a Queen.” Rumple explained.

Regina laughed. “Rumplestiltskin, you are an evil man but a genius none the less.”

“Well, we must be going.” Rumple raised his hand to disappear.

“Wait! How long will this last?” Morgana said.

“Until you die of course.” Rumple said. “How long did you think being a Queen would last?”

“But this is not what we agreed.”

“You just said you wanted to be a Queen not how you wanted to be a Queen.” Rumple said. He raised his arm and he and the real Regina disappeared.

The Knights of Camelot burst through the door and captured Morgana thinking she was Regina. Without her magick, she was defenseless.

They took her back to Camelot and putt her in the dungeon. She went kicking and screaming the whole way.

“I’m not her. I’m not Regina.” Morgana shouted at the guards. She shook the cell door in frustration.

Merlin had been watching when the knights came back with their capture. He was confused when Sir Leon was telling Arthur that they had Regina when Merlin saw Morgana instead. He slipped down to the dungeon later that night to make sure.

Merlin peeked around the corner and looked at the sleeping woman in the cell. He could see that she had been enchanted. He whispered a spell to remove the enchantment and slipped quietly away.

In the morning the guards found Morgana in the cell not Regina.

“How did we go after one sorceress and end up with another?” Arthur asked Gwen.

“It must have been some sort of enchantment.” Gwen said. “What do we do now?”

“We behead the one we have and search for the other.” Arthur said. “Snow White and the Prince will not like this.”

“Indeed not.” Gwen said.

“I want to talk to Morgana.” Arthur said. “She will be able to explain it.”

“Take the Knights with you.” Gwen said.

Arthur went to the cell where Morgana was being held.

“Morgana, how is it that you are here and Regina is not?”

“There was this little man. He said his name was Rumplestiltskin. He said if I got Regina out of the dungeon then he would make me Queen. So I did what he asked and he turned me into her.”

“Where are they now?” Arthur asked her.

“I have no idea.” Morgana said. “You are going to kill me, aren’t you?”

“You are an enemy of the state. You use magick and enchantments. You know the law as well as I do. I have no choice.” Arthur said. He turned to leave. “I‘m sorry Morgana but I have no choice.”

Morgana watched him go. She turned her back to the cell door and tried to conjure a fire ball. When it worked she whispered a spell and unlocked the door. She was long gone before the guards came to get her for the execution.

When Snow and Charming heard what had happened they were not surprised. They knew Regina was in league with Rumplestiltskin.

“We are sorry we could not bring Regina to an end for you.” Arthur said as Snow and Charming were leaving for their kingdom.

“Thank you for trying.” Snow said. “It seems we must deal with Rumplestiltskin before we take care of Regina.”

“He sounds even more powerful than she does.” Gwen said.

“We have a plan.” Charming said. “We were just hoping to not have to use it. We shall keep the treaty with you. it is always good to have an ally.”

“Especially ones with common goals.” Arthur said as he extended his hand in friendship.

Charming took it and smiled.

“We need to go before we lose light, Your majesty.” Grumpy said to Snow.

The party mounted there horses and left Camelot.

“I hope we see them again someday.” Gwen said as she put her arm through Arthur’s.

“We will. I’m sure of it.” Arthur smiled as they walked into the castle.        


End file.
